Chaser of the Light
by Fuyu no Kitsune
Summary: A girl was kidnapped in Radiant Garden. Now, she's stuck with Organization XIII and some very strange dreams...
1. And the Hero Will Drown

**So, I honestly wasn't going to post this until I actually finished it, like I usually do. But, damn. I didn't. I lost my inspiration at the part when spoiler. Just when I found what I needed, too. -sigh-**

**The rating is for some cursing, by the way.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square. I wish it were mine, though. That counts for something, right?**

**Disclaimer 2.0: Lyrics aren't mine, either.**

* * *

**_I guess it's too bad that everything we have is taken away_**

_**Swim in the smoke**_

**_The hero will drown_**

The aircraft hovered a second before landing cautiously. A hatch opened, allowing a boy, a duck, and rather tall dog to walk out. They didn't hesitate, immediately taking off for their destination.

Rylin looked on from her perch in fascination before standing and jumping down, long blue hair flying behind her. She confidently walked toward the vessel, a wide smile gracing her lips as she traced the metal with long, pale fingers.

Before long, she'd gone all the way around it, eyes wide with childish glee. When she was about to reach the hatch again, she paused, hearing an odd noise behind her. She turned slowly, unable to stop herself from staring no matter how hard she tried.

"O-Oh, hello," she stammered. "I-I was just, uh… looking… at it; I wasn't going to do anything." She forced a nervous grin.

They looked rather sinister, these strange, white creatures. Their pointed limbs seemed to blink with a blue light, and their heads were shaped oddly and had… zippers for mouths. Their bodies swayed and twirled as they approached.

"S-So, um…" Rylin stuttered, slowly side-stepping her way to the hatch. "Are you, uh, friends of this fine ship's owners?" They didn't answer. Instead, one jumped into the air, swirling toward her. She quickly felt for her pendant, only to realize she'd forgotten to wear the necklace today. Gasping, she dashed into the vessel, closing it tightly behind her. Taking a few deep breaths as she hoped this thing was well armored, she took a look around.

"Wow," she breathed. "So _this_ is Cid's precious—" She stumbled as the ship rocked suddenly. "What the—" It shook violently. Rylin braced herself against one of the chairs, thinking, _It must be those thing! They're trying to get in!_ Carefully, the girl worked her way to the door, back pressed to the wall.

Finally, the hatch burst open as they fell in. Rylin was frozen in shock—it was the three she'd seen earlier!

As they recovered, she sighed in relief and slid down to sit on the floor. The boy noticed her and a bright light appeared at his hand. When it faded, she was face-to-face with a large, silver key. She stared at it, unimpressed.

"…What's this supposed to be?" she asked finally, pointing at it lazily.

"It's the Keyblade," he crowed.

"Key… Blade?"

"Yeah! And just who're you?" the blue-clad duck demanded.

"Rilyn."

The boy stepped back, looking at her curiously.

"You're… not part of Organization XIII, are you?" he asked.

"What's that?"

"I guess not, then," he said drolly, helping her stand. "So, what're you doing in here?"

"I was trying to get away from those… _things_," Rylin answered. She smiled. "Name's Rylin. But you can call me Riley."

"Sora," the boy said, "and this is Donald and Goofy." He gestured to the duck and dog in turn.

"So, Sora, Donald, Goofy… what _were_ those things? They couldn't have been Heartless, right?"

"No, they weren't. They're called Nobodies, and they're basically the empty shells left behind when someone gets turned into a Heartless," he said, seemingly proud of his knowledge and ability to explain it. "Those Dusks are gone now, by the way."

"Oh, good," Rilyn sighed. "I have to go home and get my necklace."

"Necklace?" the trio echoed. She smiled.

"Yep!" With that, she jumped out of the Gummi ship, making her merry way home.

Before she managed to seven feet away, she was hit from behind and fell to the ground with an audible "oof!" Immediately, the girl jumped back to her feet and whirled to face her attacker.

"Well, that's certainly an underhanded way to—" She froze upon realizing what she was facing.

"Nobodies…"

_**x x x x**_

She instinctively grasped for her pendant, cursing when she remembered she didn't have it.

"Oh, man," she groaned before turning and running. Before she got far, however, more appeared before her. She stopped, realizing just how screwed she currently was.

Rylin managed to get her back to the wall and crouched into a fighting stance. She didn't think she could do too much damage like this, but she'd be damned if she wasn't going to try.

She charged at the Nobodies, kicking at the nearest one. It flew back, but she presumed it was merely unstable in balance, especially with the way they kept swaying. She failed to notice, however, when one managed to get her back and swirled around her feet, finally tossing her into the air. Rylin landed ungracefully, groaning from the pain in her back. They threw themselves at her, attacking her with all their might.

"Leave her alone!" a voice yelled. Before Rylin realized what was going on, the Nobodies were off of her. She groaned again as she tried to get up. "We'll take care of them," Sora said, standing before her with Donald and Goofy.

"What—" she began, but they'd already launched their attack. She couldn't help but stare as they effortlessly defeated the creatures. "H-How—"

"Piece o' cake," Sora crowed.

"Garwsh, Riley, are you alright? They were mobbin' ya!"

"Y-Yeah," she mumbled, hissing suddenly when her back twisted the wrong way.

"Here," Sora said, offering her a potion. She took it gladly. "Maybe we should go with you," he suggested.

"Go with me?"

"Yeah, to get your necklace. The Nobodies seem to like you a lot," he joked.

"No. I can protect myself. All I need is my necklace."

"What's so special about a necklace?" Donald wondered. She smiled mysteriously.

"I just need it." With that, she got up and ran, waving back. "Thanks for the potion, Sora!" The three stared after her.

"Maybe we should follow her, just in case."

"But didn't she say she doesn't want us to?" Goofy asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, but if the Nobodies or the Heartless appear again, she'd be defenseless," the Key Bearer pointed out. "Her heart might be taken."

"Yeah! We can't let that happen!" Donald added. Goofy sighed; he was outnumbered.

"Well, okay…"

"The trio went the way they'd last seen her. They were about to turn the corner when Rylin popped out, yelling, "BOO!!"

"Whoa! …Have you been around Jack for too long, Riley?" Sora demanded playfully. She looked at him oddly.

"Who's that?"

"Guess not…" He shrugged.

"Well, anyway, Rylin said, confused, "I thought I told you not to follow me."

"We never said we'd listen," Sora said stubbornly. She laughed.

"Okay, fine. Follow if you have to. You'll just have to stay outside when we get there. I have to change." Rylin gestured to her torn clothes. "Or you can leave then."

"We've got other places to be, anyway," Donald said gruffly. She giggled and continued on her way.

After a few more encounters with both Heartless and Nobodies, Rylin finally stopped at a wooden door.

"This is my house," she said proudly, opening it and entering. The male trio made to follow, but the girl quickly turned back around, waving her index finger. "Ah, ah, ah," Rylin scolded playfully. "I know I'm pretty, but I have to change. And, usually, I do that _alone!_"

"Oh, yeah," Sora said, rubbing the back of his head and looking away in embarrassment. The girl smiled and closed the door behind her.

She made her way to her bedroom, picking up a few things on the way and throwing them on the mattress. Rylin hopped around the room, carefully choosing some new clothes. She took off the torn, black shirt and grabbed the fresh shirt, unfolding it. She was about to put it on when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her, one hand covering her mouth.

Rylin struggled fiercely against the strong grip, trying to get her necklace from across the room. The one holding her did not yield, instead pulled her backward. She tried to scream and fight, but it was all in vain; the next thing she knew, she was surrounded by darkness.

* * *

**And that, my friends, is Chapter I. I'm lazy, so it might be a while before I post Chapter II. We shall see.**


	2. The Tension and the Terror

**So much typing x.x**

**I'm between liking and hating this chapter at the moment. Grr.**

**Claimers: I own Rilyn and the plot (IT'S THERE, I SWEAR IT IS) So there. Don't take them. PM to ask for characters, if someone happens to want to borrow them, for whatever reason.**

**Disclaimers: In first chapter. Lookit.**

**Straylight Run this time around. I really couldn't find a good song for this one, so I just picked a random one.**

**Let's get it on.**

* * *

_**A look**_

_**A laugh**_

_**A smile**_

_**A second passes by…**_

The darkness faded away to reveal an enormous, pure white room. Rilyn shielded her eyes initially, slowly uncovering them as she adjusted to the brightness.

"Wow," she breathed. "It's beautiful!"

"I don't think it'll be so _beautiful_ after you've been here awhile." She whirled around, blue hair flying, to face the one who had just kidnapped her. Rather, she looked up at him. He was _at least_ a head taller than her, excluding that spiky red hair. Bright green eyes looked down on her, bored.

"I'd say you look like Reno, but his hair isn't that spiky," Rilyn commented finally.

"The name's _Axel_. You're gonna be staying here for a while. If you try to leave, they're gonna put you in a cell; much less comfortable. Got it memorized?" She nodded slowly. "Good." He turned to leave, disappearing into another dark portal.

"Wait!" she called futilely. "Ah, man! I still don't have my necklace!" A shiver went through her body suddenly. "Oh… I never finished changing, either…"

A portal appeared to her left, evoking a yelp from the half-dressed girl. She immediately covered her chest with her arms. Bra or not, this Axel was _still_ a guy.

Instead of the one Rilyn expected, however, a younger man with a blond mullet walked into the room. He froze upon noticing her, and after a few seconds of an awkward silence, said, "Sorry!" and left quickly. She blinked, slightly confused.

What seemed like an eternity—but was in fact a mere hour—passed before the red-head returned to see the abductee swirling around the room, laughing as her arms pin wheeled around her. Axel dodged her as she made her way toward him. After that, her momentum slowed visibly, eventually stopping entirely as she stumbled around dizzily. Finally, she toppled over, landing hard on the floor.

"Ow," she moaned. Bruises from the man's rough handling were already forming. Axel stared as she slowly sat up. "Hi! What's that?" She pointed to the black bundle in his hand.

"For you," he replied curtly, tossing it at her. Rilyn caught it easily.

"What's this for?" she asked after unfolding the black cloak.

"You don't have a shirt, do you?"

"_Oh._ Y'know, you could just take me home for some clothes; I had them laid out when you grabbed me."

"Just put it on."

"But I want _my_ clothes," Rilyn whined childishly. Axel sighed.

"Look, I can't take you back. They already distrust me. I'd probably have to as Xemnas—"

"Then ask!"

"…You're not gonna shut up until I do, are you?" he asked, annoyed.

"Nope," she replied cheerfully.

"Fine!" he exclaimed curtly, disappearing. She huffed, throwing her hands on her hips.

_**x x x x**_

"Xemnas."

The Superior turned expectantly to face the Organization's eighth member.

"She wants to go back for her clothes," Axel said doubtfully.

Xemnas turned back to the moon he'd been gazing at. His subordinate shuffled uncomfortably behind him.

"Keep an eye on her," he said finally.

"You're letting her go?"

"Ensure she does not try to escape."

"Uh—okay," Axel said, turning and disappearing into a dark portal.

"…Rilyn… So like her…" Xemnas murmured.

_**x x x x**_

When Axel returned, Rilyn was sitting quietly on the floor. She looked up at him questioningly.

"So?"

"As long as you don't try to escape, we can go." She smiled, rising and walking to him, looking up happily.

"Okay. I won't escape; as long as it's fun here. Is it fun here?"

"Uh… I guess," Axel said, scratching the back of his head in confusion.

"Good! Then let's go!" Rilyn said excitedly, grabbing his hand. He pulled away, opening a portal and leading the way to her house.

Once there, Rilyn hopped to her room, shutting the door in the Nobody's face as he attempted to follow. "Hey! What are you doing?" he called.

"Changing!" she replied. "You're not allowed in here while I do that."

Axel growled, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall as he waited. He listened irritably as she clanged into some things and knocked others over. After a few minutes, she burst from the room and went straight to the next.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To get some things," Rilyn answered, reappearing with a bag slung over her shoulder. "If I'm gonna be staying with you for a while, I have to be prepared for it."

"…Right. Are you ready to go, now?"

"Yep!"

"Good." Axel pushed her into a portal, only to reappear in the white room in which Rilyn had first been left.

"Can I paint this room?" she asked suddenly.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because _wh_y?"

"Just no!" Axel shouted.

"…Fine." Rilyn pouted, crossing her arms. Silence ensued. "Can I at least get a bed, or a couch?" she asked finally.

"Didn't you say you'd shut up if I let you go home for a bit?"

"No, you did," she retorted.

"Oh, there you are, Axel… Who _is_ that?"

The two turned to face the bemused brunet guy who had just appeared behind them.

"Rilyn," the fire-user said flatly.

"No," she protested, "it's Riley! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"That was the first."

"Oh… was it?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. So who's he?" Rilyn asked, pointing at the intruder.

"Demyx," the brunet said.

"OH. Hi, Demyx! I'm Riley!" She extended her arm for the customary handshake and he took it, smiling at her greeting.

"What do you want, Demyx?" Axel interrupted rudely.

"Well, Roxas wanted to know where you went, so I told I'd find you."

"So what does _he_ want?"

"I dunno."

"Well, that's mean, Axel!" Rilyn exclaimed.

"What?"

"Rudely asking what this 'Roxas' dude wants!"

"So?"

"…I guess I can't argue with that logic," she said blankly.

"Of course you can't. Demyx, find her a couch, bed, _something._ I'm going to find Roxas." With that, Axel turned and disappeared into a dark portal.

"Is he always so rude?" Rilyn asked, breaking the long silence.

"Unless he's with Roxas," Demyx confirmed.

"Who _is_ Roxas?"

"He's Number XIII in the Organization, the Key of Destiny. He's Axel's best friend."

"_Axel_ has a _friend?_" Rilyn gasped. "With _his_ attitude?"

"Yeah, I know. It's hard to believe. Anyway, I'll go find you something."

"Can I go with you?" she asked meekly.

"…Why?"

"Because there's nothing to do in this room," the girl complained.

"It's… probably best if you stay here. Bye," Demyx said, disappearing before she could protest. She sighed and took a seat on the floor.

Soon after the musician's departure, Axel reappeared, looking irritated.

"Something wrong?" Rilyn asked. He shot her a glare before leaning on the wall. "C'mon, what's up?" she pressed.

"You mean, other than the fact that I've been condemned to babysitting?" he snapped.

"Babysitting?"

"Yes, babysitting. What else would you call watching a stupid girl until she gets her memory back?"

"…S-Stupid?"

"Yes, stupid!"

"O-Oh… Sorry…"

"For what?"

"Being… stupid…"

"You called her _stupid_, Axel?"

Two pairs of eyes turned to the newcomer, Rilyn's brimming with tears.

"And now she's about to cry! How heartless of you."

"We don't _have_ hearts, Roxas," Axel growled.

"I know that," the blond said, "but you could at least be nice to her if you're going to be spending so much time with her. I'm Roxas." He turned his attention to the sniffling girl, offering his hand. She reluctantly too it, choking out her name in response. "I can't believe Xemnas put you in charge, Axel," Roxas continued. "He wants Riley to be sheltered or something, right? He should have known you'd do something like this." Axel glared at him. "Calm down. She should remember everything when Naminé gets here."

"Which will be…?"

"I don't know. But Xemnas wants me to talk to Kairi and see if I can lure her out."

"And when will you be doing that?"

"When he gives the order, I guess," Roxas said with a shrug.

"…He's punishing me for something, isn't he," Axel groaned.

"Don't say things like that," his friend admonished, subtly gesturing to the girl watching them. "You should lighten up a bit, Axel. Be a little nicer to Riley." That being said, Roxas disappeared, leaving them in silence.

_**x x x x**_

"Hey Kairi, Your Majesty. Naminé." The two turned quickly, realizing who had spoken.

"Roxas," King Mickey said flatly. The blond shot him a stark look before turning to the red-head.

"Where's Naminé?" he asked quietly.

"I'm here," she answered, emerging from the Princess. "What's wrong, Roxas?"

"I… need your help," he said.

"With what?" she asked curiously. Roxas started to answer, but stopped when another portal appeared.

"Witch," the newcomer growled.

"Marluxia," she gasped. He grabbed her arm, dragging her into the portal with him.

"Roxas!" she exclaimed in distress.

"Naminé!" The darkness disappeared, leaving no trace of the two Nobodies.

"Roxas," Kairi asked, "what's going on? Why aren't you with Sora?"

He disappeared without a word.

_**x x x x**_

"It seems Roxas knows about our situation," King Mickey said quietly, turning to the console before him. "Tron, look up everything on the Keyblade War."

"Will do," answered the program. The mouse nodded and stared to leave when Kairi called after him.

"But, Your Majesty, what about Naminé?" she asked worriedly. He paused.

"The Organization has her now."

"But, how? How can they be back? They were all destroyed!" She got no reply and continued. "We have to help her!"

"No!" Mickey said sternly. "Roxas will take care of it. You should stay here for now."

"But—"

"Kairi. It's safer for you here. For now, I need you to learn all you can about the Keyblade War. It could be a great help to us." He left without another word.

_I can't believe he wants me to stay behind _again! _Sora and Riku have already disappeared and left me here, and now the King, too_, she ranted.

"Search complete," Tron announced, catching the Princess's attention.

_**x x x x**_

"Soooo, Axel…" Green eyes flicked toward the girl sitting on the floor. "When's Demyx coming back with a couch?"

"I don't know," he answered quietly. She blinked in disappointment and boredom.

"I wonder how he's gonna get it here." Axel shrugged, sighing in a weak attempt to _do _something. He _needed_ to get out of here before—

"Hey," Rilyn piped up suddenly, "let's go somewhere. Somewhere fun!" Axel's eyebrows shot up against his wishes.

"Like where?" She shrugged.

"You're the one with the portal-thingies."

"If someone found out we left, I'd probably be turned into a Dusk."

"…Is a Dusk… fun?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh, yeah," he replied dryly, "if you like being forced to do the Organization's dirty work and facing a Keyblade everywhere you go." She frowned. He suddenly made up his mind, proposing to go see the Organization's newest female guest. Naturally, the girl's first question was how fun the trip would be. At his cryptic answer and mysterious smirk, she agreed readily and the portal was made, the pair disappearing into it.

Rilyn shielded her eyes when they emerged in another blindingly white room, the only difference from her prison being the blonde girl sitting quietly in her chair, looking fairly forlorn.

"Hi!" Rilyn called, bouncing across the room. The girl looked up, startled, and narrowed her azure eyes upon seeing Axel. He put up his arms in a placating gesture.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. She was just bored," he explained, nodding at Rilyn. The happy-go-lucky girl looked back and forth between the two before sending the man a bemused glare, standing with her hands on her hips.

"What'd you to her?" she demanded, pointing at the blonde.

"Nothing," Axel answered flatly. She sent him a suspicious stare before whirling around, cobalt tresses fanning out behind her, and heading toward the other girl.

"Hi," she said, waving genially. "I'm Rilyn. But you can call me Riley!"

"Naminé," the blonde answered, shaking the proffered hand. Chains rattled musically on Rilyn's wrists, drawing Naminé's attention. "They… chained you up?"

"Huh? Oh, this? No, no," she answered cheerfully. "I just wear them 'cause I like the sound! You know…" She shook both arms wildly, giggling at the noise. The blonde laughed at her childish display. "So, Naminé, how come _you're_ here? You don't have a cloak like most of them do."

"Oh… I was… kidnapped…"

"Really?" Rilyn asked excitedly. "So was I! I still don't know why, though," she said contemplatively, turning to Axel. "Why'd you kidnap me?" He merely shrugged, not knowing the full reasoning behind the order himself. "…Huh."

Naminé smiled weakly. At least _she_ knew why she was here. She was a threat to _his_ plans. And she knew exactly how, too, which made her all the more dangerous when outside of his "safekeeping".

"It's probably because you'd look exactly like her, if your hair were shorter," she said, surprising herself.

"Like… who?" Rilyn asked, confused. The blonde smiled mysteriously, already regretting her statement.

"Someone," Naminé began, speaking slowly as she carefully chose her words, "that Xemnas—Xehanort, actually—used to cherish as a friend."

"Alright, time to leave," Axel said, breaking the pregnant silence that followed.

"What?" Rilyn immediately whined. "But that was hardly five minutes!"

"It was long enough," he answered gruffly, shrugging off the thankful look Naminé sent gliding in his direction.

"But—"

"No. Leave." The portal appeared, floating in place as a temporary, dark island in a sea of white.

"No," she declared, crossing her arms in defiance. Her feet were planted firmly on the floor.

_This_ girl didn't plan on going anywhere.

Unfortunately, the man in power didn't particularly care for her plans, and promptly disappeared into the portal with a growl. Rilyn grinned cheekily, evoking a giggle form her newfound friend.

Of course, the expression faded into a startled yelp as she was snatched into the darkness from behind.

When she reemerged, the girl fell flat on her face from the loss of balance that accompanies such a trick. She forced herself to her knees and shook off the initial confusion, turning furiously on the fiery man behind her.

"Why'd ya hafta go an' do _that_ for?!" she demanded loudly. _Ah, slang,_ he thought drolly, _coming soon to a dialect near you._

"You're not supposed to leave the room," he answered flatly.

"Then why'd you take me there?" she countered. He shrugged.

"Somethin' to do." Hey, would you look at that. It's crept into his own voice now.

Rilyn huffed and crossed her arms, sending him an icy glare through those bright cobalt eyes. He simply stared back at her apathetically until something else caught her attention.

"How'd that get here?" Axel turned, spotting the plain white bed. _Oh, that's right. _He'd ordered—

"I brought it!"

He groaned. _Another_ headache.

Demyx jumped up from his sprawled position to wave at Rilyn ecstatically.

"How'd you get it in here?" she gaped. The musician smiled sheepishly and made his way across the room to Rilyn and proceeded to drag her back to the singular piece of furniture, where she plopped onto it. "It's so comfy!" she squealed. Axel rolled his eyes.

_Idiots_, he thought.

The childish duo laughed and made complete fools of themselves, until Demyx decided he should be elsewhere. Rather, until Axel told him to get out again. Rilyn, however, didn't manage to calm herself until at least ten minutes later. But when she did regain sobriety, she turned to her captor, a rare seriousness darkening her eyes, as if she'd just remembered something extremely important.

"Axel, why does Roxas look so familiar?"

* * *

**Do you see what I mean? I don't like it, but then I do, and then I don't and back again. Anyway.**

**Demyx makes his (not so) grand entrance!**

**Demyx: Hey!**

**Ray: It's true. It wasn't so grand. Anyway, review, and you can have Demyx. Y'know, since he's here an' all. Until then, he will be mine.**

**Demyx: Huh?**

**Ray: -shifty eyes-**


	3. Page Avenue

**Chapter's title/song belongs to Story of the Year, this time around. The rest of the disclaimers/claimers are in previous chapters. Enjoy.**

* * *

_**Nothing mattered more than the loyalty we had**_

_**Now I'm a world away from everything we shared**_

_Giggles._

_Laughter._

_There was the girl, huddled by an enormous rock. She was dwarfed beside it._

_"Hey—"_

_—a name, missing—_

_"—where were _you_ all this time?"_

_Taunting._

_"You could've graduated with us, you know. Too bad."_

_One word unspoken, but heard all the same._

Failure.

_A glare._

_Honey blonde hair, flying—_

_—a flash of light—_

_—colors entwined—_

_A gasp of surprise._

_A flash in reply—_

_—golden metal—_

_—the ringing clang as they met—_

_—glares of fury—_

_—rivalry—_

_Blue and gold—_

_**x x x x**_

_A warning cry._

We're too close—

_He had her. He _had _her!_

_She would die. They would _both_ die._

_They'd _all _die._

_—Gasping breaths—_

She's fucked. Oh, hell, she's fucking _fucked._

_—futile shouts of a name—_

_—a forgotten name—_

_That _beautiful_ honey-colored hair was tainted with dirt and matting blood from what he'd already done._

He's too close, he's too fucking _close!_

_That defiant gleam flew from blue to blue to blue, intensifying with shared hatred and wrath and a _damned _refusal to give in._

_There was no possible way they could win._

_But they'd fucking give him _hell_ while they went down._

_A shriek—_

—battle cry—

_—erupted from her throat._

_Thunder—_

_"Here we go!"_

A losing fight—

_A _pointless _fight—_

_They would lose—_

It doesn't matter!

_—Aero—_

_—Reflect—_

_—Blizzard—_

x x x x

_"Why?"_

_Disgust._

_"That's how it always is."_

_Blue. Honey. Black._

_The new._

_Like the old._

No, no, no, why her, why _her—_

_**x x x x**_

_Giggles. _

_An arm extended. A hand offered._

_"So, who're you?" a sweet voice._

_—forgotten names—_

_An uninterested stare. An unshaken hand._

_"Stop bothering her."_

_Black._

_"I'm not—"_

_—a warm hand dragging her away._

_A friend._

_They'd all be friends._

_"We'll be friends," she announced._

_A puzzled look._

_That warm smile._

_**x x x x**_

_Where were they?_

_Gone._

Can't find them—

_Where, where, where—_

_Disappeared._

No, no, no, don't be—

_Gone. Like legend._

_Like family._

There—

_Together._

They're together.

_A sigh of relief._

_…Jealousy._

_**x x x x**_

No, no, no, no, no, no—

_Honey, too close._

_Black, too far._

_Blue, close enough._

_That smirk—_

—madness—

_She knew—_

_—he knew—_

_A flash—_

Hell— _hell!_

That flash, that _flash!_

_**x x x x**_

_Honey blonde._

_Black._

_Blue._

_How?_

_Forgotten—_

_**x x x x**_

A sharp gasp.

Bolt upright.

Heavy breathing.

Riley panted, checked her surroundings wildly.

White—a plain, white room around her. A plain, white bed beneath her.

"Something wrong?"

She jumped. Red—red to the left.

Axel.

Nightmare—just a nightmare.

"I'm… fine… Fine." Shaky voice.

_Liar._

Her breathing slowed. She was fine. _Nothing had happed._

She sighed again, shaking her head and rubbing her temples with two fingers.

_Who_ are _they?_

* * *

**I fully expect at least some of y'all to be confused. If you are, good. It's supposed to be confusing. Dreams are like that.**

**And don't ask me what any of it means, either. I won't tell you. **

**All in due time, friends, all in due time.**


	4. Every Day Is Exactly The Same

**Now, now, children. I said I wouldn't be explainingn any of that, didn't I? You'll find out. Patience, my friends. Patience.**

**The song belongs to Nine Inch Nails. Not me. Any other disclaimers/claimers are in the previous chapters.**

* * *

_**I believe I can see the future**_

_**Because I repeat the same routine**_

_**I think I used to have a purpose**_

_**Then again, that might have been a dream**_

_**Every day is exactly the same**_

"How is she coming?"

"I dunno," Axel said with a shrug. "If she's remembered anything, she's kept it to herself."

"Nothing at all?" Xemnas pressed. A simple headshake in answer. He sighed. "Very well. Retrieve Roxas."

"Why?" The faint memory of surprise tugged at the back of Axel's mind.

"She'll have to be reminded of how to fight."

"With—"

"With," he interrupted calmly, "the only weapon she remembers wielding, until she remembers all."

_**x x x x**_

Yep. Just as he expected. A ridiculous sight, indeed.

She was jumping on the bed.

With Demyx.

Axel sighed in irritation. Roxas merely blinked.

"Demyx," the red-head barked, "out."

"But why?" the children whined.

"Out," he growled.

"Fine, I'm going!" Riley stared after him in disbelief.

"Why'd ya hafta go an' do that for?" she complained, stopping in her bouncing to sit with her legs tucked beneath her. "We were having fun!" He snorted.

"You're going to be training today."

"Training?"

"With Roxas."

"Why?"

"Ouch," the boy said, pretending to be hurt. Riley crossed her arms.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," she pouted.

"It's an order. You're to train with Roxas." The girl sighed in defeat.

"I guess it's better than being bored. What kind of training are we doing?" The blond looked at Axel, not quite knowing the reason himself.

"Sparring," he said dully.

"Whaaaa…?" they asked simultaneously, gaping.

"Why do I hafta do _that?_" Riley demanded. The red-head shrugged.

"How should _I _know? Xemnas ordered it, so hop to it."

"Why with me, though?" Roxas asked. "What about you?" He shrugged once more.

"Supervise."

"That's no fair!" Rilyn complained, crossing her arms. The blond sighed, summoning his weapons.

"Let's do it, then," he said finally. She stared at him in amazement.

"How'd you do that?" He shrugged. She scowled at him before getting up and snatching the onyx and silver pendant from the chain around her neck, swirling it around playfully as it grew into an obsidian staff. She readied herself, an excited grin adorning her face. "So who gets to commence the attack?"

She received no answer; instead, Roxas charged, dragging the keyblades on the floor behind him. Rilyn was startled by the abruptness of it and sidestepped late, her weapon throwing her off balance when Oathkeeper grazed it. She stumbled a bit and swept at the boy's feet, a maneuver he easily evaded. He retaliated by swinging both his blades in a strong arc. Rilyn hardly had the time to pull the staff back to keep them inches away.

"You're out of practice," Roxas commented.

"Well, I haven't really had to use it much," she replied through gritted teeth.

"That'll have to change," he said with a smirk.

They separated quickly, both regaining their feet and original stances. They stood that way for a moment, each daring the other to take the next move. Rilyn finally conceded, running forward and trying a sweep at his waist. He grunted when it hit, falling back a little. She immediately pulled the staff back over her head and brought it down swiftly, aiming for his head. The blond parried just quick enough to avoid the blow.

"Looks like the tables have turned," she crowed.

"Not yet," Roxas growled. With a sudden burst of speed, he appeared behind her, initiating a relentless attack with both keyblades. Rilyn did her best to block with the obsidian weapon until one strike came a little too close to her hand, startling her so she released it involuntarily, stumbling and falling backward. Roxas stopped to point Oblivion at her throat, smirking victoriously.

"Dead," he announced. She sat up and stuck her tongue out at him, pouting.

_**x x x x**_

The days—or were they just hours?—passed in such a way; that is say, sparring with Roxas became the pinnacle of Rilyn's daily life.

She often lost, being the overconfident wench she could be, and, intentionally or not, Roxas was slowly teaching her just how out of practice she was. Not to mention the fact that there were, indeed, many who were stronger than her.

Rilyn, however, was a very persistent young woman.

"Take this!" she yelled, shoving the obsidian staff at his stomach. Roxas tumbled to the floor, losing his grip on Oathkeeper along the way.

She rushed forward, shoving its end to his neck. He stared at the weapon for a moment allowing his eyes to rise to meet hers. He smiled.

"You're getting better," he said simply.

Rilyn grinned in childish delight at the praise, gently taking the staff from his neck and offering him a hand to help him up. Roxas, however, had other plans.

He smirked arrogantly and slashed at her arm. She yelped in surprise and jerked away to fall back into what was a mockery of her typical stance. Sweat beaded on her forehead from both pain and exhaustion. Her blue flicked to her left arm—it seemed pretty damn useless now.

"You should know better than to let your guard down, Riley," Roxas taunted. She hissed at him agitation, evoking a laugh. "Alright, _kitten_," he sneered, "let's go."

The girl's temper flared and she tightened her grip on the staff. She turned it vertical, slamming it into the ground with unprecedented force. Her opponent hesitated as it shortened to the length of an average blade. He stared in astonishment.

Axel watched disinterestedly from his perch on the bed until this particular occurrence. She'd had a big stick, and now it was a small one. But how had she done that? According to Xemnas, Rilyn had absolutely no magical prowess to speak of, so that was out of the question; it seemed utterly _ridiculous _that such a slight girl could do something like that strength alone. So… how?

A shriek—no, a battle cry—pierced the air as she lunged at Roxas. He fell back gradually, parrying each powerful attack she tried. The mere force was snatching at every inch it could gain on its opponent, and doing so well.

The last thing Axel saw before the darkness enveloped him completely was Rilyn's back as she pushed his friend against the wall.

"Xemnas," he asked upon emerging, "what _exactly_ are you trying to do?"

The Superior hardly moved.

"What do you want with that girl? How—"

"I've already answered that question."

"Oh, yeah, Kingdom Hearts," he said sarcastically. "But how _can_ she help when she's not even—" Axel stopped abruptly.

"What has she done to make you question my judgment, Number VIII?" Xemnas asked, a hint of a chuckle in his voice. The red-head didn't answer for a while, still connecting the proverbial dots in his mind.

"But she can't…"

"She is."

"But how? Roxas is—"

"A different generation." A thick silence ensued. "Haven't we already discussed this, Axel?" A slight tone of annoyance pervaded his voice.

"Just how strong _is_ she?" Axel finally asked. A smile crossed the Superior's lips, unseen by the other.

"Strong enough."

* * *

**Ho! training has begun! But what could have Xemnas have meant? And just _what_ did Axel realize about Riley?**

**...Don't you just hate it when us writers do this sort of thing to y'all readers? XD**

**Now, excuse me while I go stare at the new artwork .>**


	5. Forget to Remember

**_((...If you don't appreciate spoilers, skip the bold here, for it may contain such things.))_**

**Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks Terra is one hot son of a bitch. Really, now.**

**Ven and Aqua otp. DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME.**

**And the appearance of a fourteenth just brings my other story that much closer to canon :D**

**Um. Disclaimers and claimers are in previous chapters; this song does not belong to me.**

* * *

_**Emptiness**_

_**(I feel) loneliness**_

_**(I feel) listlessness**_

_**(I feel) worthless**_

_**I feel it on the inside**_

_"So, you're—"_

_"One of us?"_

_Blue eyes, glaring._

_"What the hell're you—"_

_**x x x x**_

_"You're coming back, right?"_

_Innocence._

_Naïveté._

_A gentle smile._

_**x x x x**_

_Magic._

_Hands imbuing it into metal._

_Twisting._

_Molding._

_Chasing._

_**x x x x**_

_A dusty ground._

_Rock protruding everywhere._

_Keyblades, old and rusted._

_The graveyard._

The new.

Like the old.

"That's how it always is."

_**x x x x**_

_Darkness._

_This—_

What _is_ this?

_Golden metal—_

_—hope—_

_—a flash of light—_

No…

Where—

_Gone._

_Disappeared._

_A name—_

My name—

_Forgotten—_

What—

_**x x x x**_

_Green eyes._

_A startled jerk, complete with a hard bump on the head._

_"Are you okay?"_

_A worried tone._

_A pained groan in reply._

_"What's your name?"_

_Mere curiosity._

What's my—

_Unknown—_

_—forgotten—_

—Rr… Rr…

_That familiar sound—_

Where—

_**x x x x**_

_Such a confident swagger._

_Arrogant._

_A copy—_

Heartless?!

_Shouts—_

_Shouting—_

_Yells of caution, failing to reach their target._

I'm gonna wipe that smirk off his—

_Forced back—_

_She rushed in, attacking furiously._

NO! BR—

_Thunder—_

_**x x x x**_

Blue eyes snapped open.

Blinding white, all around.

Rilyn took a deep breath and let it out.

_What the hell do these dreams _mean?

* * *

**Y'all had better be happy for this. I _should_ be doing my Stats/English homework, but I'm not. But! You should be waiting a bit for the next chapter. I don't plan on posting it until I finish chapter 7. Don't worry, I'm working on it diligently.**

**But, poor Rilyn. She's so confused.**


	6. You Wouldn't Know

**Yeah, um. I'm done writing this. The rest of it should be up before Wednesday.**

**Which, conveniently, is the first day of November. And the trials of NaNoWriMo shall begin.**

**Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Song/lyrics belong to Hellyeah.**

_**

* * *

**__**Stars are falling,**_

_**Fires lighting all around me,**_

_**Burning me down**_

-----------------

Rilyn yawned like a lazy cat, stretching in just the same manner. She looked around, realizing that Axel was gone; instead, Demyx sat across the room, strumming a tune on his sitar as musical notes of water danced around him merrily. She stared in amazement, a wide smile growing on her face. She began clapping animatedly when he finished.

"How do you _do_ that?" she asked excitedly. "That was so cool!" Demyx looked up, surprised, finally noticing that she was awake.

"You… liked it?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes!" Rilyn exclaimed. "How do you make those things dance like that?"

"I can control water," he said proudly. Her eyes widened in wonder.

"What are you doing, Demyx?"

The two turned in surprise at the unexpected voice—Axel was back, looking as annoyed as ever.

"Where've _you_ been?" the musician retorted weakly.

"Nowhere special." He spared Rilyn a sideways glance before turning his attention back to Demyx. "Out."

"Why?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"_Go,_" Axel growled.

"_Fine,_" Demyx conceded, taking his sitar and disappearing into a portal. Rilyn crossed her arms and scowled at the red-head.

"What?" he demanded.

"I don't have to spar _again_, do I?" He chuckled, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"Of course you do," he replied smoothly. "Just not with Roxas."

This, of course, caught the girl's attention.

"Then… who?" Axel allowed himself a small laugh of amusement, a devious sparkle appearing in his emerald green eyes. He stretched out his arms dramatically, hands open and waiting. Almost instantaneously, a flurry of fire appeared at each hand, materializing into ornate chakrams which Axel clutched lazily, spinning them in what looked to be an odd mixture of arrogance, readiness, and… was that… boredom?

"Me," he announced. Rilyn was startled; she was far more used to the Nobody being either aloof or annoyed rather than… eager. She stared at him in shock. "Well?" he prodded expectantly. "Where's your weapon?"

"Where's Roxas?" she retorted.

"What does it matter? I'm here. Isn't that enough for you?" he asked in a mock-hurt tone.

She stared him down a bit more before she finally ripped the pendant from its chain and allowed it to grow to the size of an average blade, like before. For some reason, she couldn't make it any larger.

"Why—" She hadn't enough time to vent her frustration when a red chakram went flying by the front of her face. "Wha—"

"You should've been ready!" Axel yelled, laughing as he threw the other. She squeaked and held up the little staff, hoping to parry, deflect, _something._ The chakram hit it hard, spinning her from mere force before flying back to the Nobody with its twin. Rilyn stumbled dizzily, flailing her arms in an attempt to regain balance. "Come _on_, Riley. What's the problem?" he taunted.

"It isn't nice to throw those Swirling Rings of Death™ at people!" she whined.

"It's called sparring for a reason." He yelled something she couldn't quite understand as his chakrams flew around him in a swirl of flame and metal, and the next thing she knew, she was surrounded by flames, and the soles of her shoes were getting very, very hot. She tore her horrified gaze from the wall of fire, only to discover the terrible scorching the floor—and her shoes—was receiving. She squealed in pain and jumped from one foot the other and back.

"How do you _do_ that?!" she demanded desperately. "And where'd you go?!"

"Take that!"

She felt a streak of pain on her back and arms. She stumbled forward, looking over her shoulder. Oh! how the flames colored his façade! Oh! how manic a grin his was!

With a sudden flash of energy and a fierce yell, Rilyn swung the small staff, letting out a small "tch" in frustration when he disappeared into the flames again. She stood still in her place despite the heat she felt through her shoes, eyes moving wildly in an attempt to locate the Nobody. When he jumped out next, he was to her left—easily evaded.

She parried Axel's attack and hit him hard enough for him to allow the floor to return to normal, although the wall of fire was still intact. He didn't hesitate to counter, landing one good hit to throw her off balance. Rilyn rolled on the floor, coming dangerously close to the flames and losing her weapon in the process.

"When do I get to spar with Demyx?" she groaned, snatching the obsidian staff and forcing herself to her feet.

"What's the problem? This too much for ya?" He laughed.

"No. I'm just getting started!" she shouted, charging at him. He dodged easily, smirking as their weapons slammed together. She tumbled to the ground when he tossed her staff to the side. She released an incomprehensible yell and rose, running toward him and preparing to attack. Axel laughed again, his arrogance dominating his demeanor.

"_Burn_, baby!"

The chakrams burst into flame, swirling around him in such a magnificent way that Rilyn was sure she would've admired had she not been up against it herself. She hesitated as one hand touched the ground, and the floor was scorching hot once more.

"Tch!" Rilyn muttered. She shifted her weight to her back leg, bent her knees, and jumped forward. As soon as she was within range of the floor, she firmly planted the staff and pushed off again, hurtling toward her enemy through the air.

Axel dodged the incoming kick, but failed to fully evade the slash of her miniature staff. She attacked and he blocked until finally she managed a good shot to the solar plexus. He stumbled, and the flames died off.

"That's enough… for now," he said, barely panting.

"So does… that mean… I win?" Rilyn asked hopefully.

"Not on your life," Axel retorted. "Look at you—you're about to pass out."

"That's not… true!" she protested.

"You know it is." Rilyn glared at him for a moment before forcing the staff back to pendant size and reattaching it to her silver chain.

"I can definitely beat you," she said sulkily.

"You wouldn't stand a chance, even with your—" he stopped abruptly, realizing what he was saying. The girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously, the blue of her irises darkening to almost black.

"With my _what?_"

"I was just saying that you could never defeat me. Got it memorized?" he dodged deftly.

"Don't not answer the question!"

"Didn't have to."

"…Well, I _can_ defeat you, with or without whatever you're talking about!" She folded her arms across her chest and stared him down defiantly, a glint of challenge in her eyes. "You're just too arrogant because—"

"Hey, Riley!" She turned irritably to face the musician.

"_What?_" she snapped. Demyx flinched.

"Well, if you're so _adamant_ about it," Axel countered calmly, "why don't you _prove_ that you can beat even one of us?" Rilyn focused back on him as he spoke, a questioning look in her dark eyes. "Fight him," he said, gesturing at Demyx, "and win."

"Now?" she asked, mildly surprised. He nodded. She sighed and grabbed her pendant once more, lunging toward the musician and slashing when the miniature staff reached what was now its full size. He barely managed a dodge to his left and quickly summoned his sitar, assuming a defensive posture.

"What was _that_ for?" he demanded.

"Fighting," she grunted, launching into a spinning attack she didn't know she knew. It was a master's maneuver; how she had managed to do it, she decided she would never know.

But she performed it beautifully, and marveled at the foreign

_natural_

grace with which she did it. She twirled the small weapon so fast it was a mere blur. She rushed toward him when it had gained enough momentum, twisting her foot at the take-off just so that her body twisted lithely through the air. Finally, she slammed it down on the back of Demyx's neck brutally, barely hesitating a second before she made contact. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Rilyn's feet touched the floor and she straightened to her full height, turning her dark eyes toward Axel in a glare.

"You _did_ catch him by surprise," he said pointedly. She hissed at him. He couldn't help but notice how ridiculously funny she looked like that, blue locks slightly tousled as always, eyes nearly black instead of their typical bright blue, fury sculpted onto her façade. He realized, too, that this could just as easily be a cowing sight, if the odds weren't so obviously tipped in his favor. This girl could definitely be one _hell_ of an opponent, if she put her mind to it, memory or not.

"Calm down," he snapped, suddenly irritated with her. "That's _enough_ for today. Help me get him over there." Axel hoisted one of Demyx's limp arms over his shoulders and waited patiently as she did the same. Together, they laid the musician on the bed gingerly. Rilyn sat on the floor silently, hugging her legs to her chest. As he took his usual pose, leaning against the wall, he wondered what she was thinking of, behind those creamy eyelids.

* * *

**Before the question arises, _no,_ this will not include any "romance" sort of thing with Riley and Axel. Actually... No. I'll keep that thought to myself. I don't want to spoil any of y'all -winkwink-**

**Anyway, would y'all mind telling me if I should post an author's note when I get the sequel up? If you even want to keep reading it after this one, that is.**

**A simple yes or no will suffice.**


	7. Disconnected Out of Touch

**Disclaimer: Song and lyrics belong to Trapt.**

* * *

_**So disconnected, everything goes over your head**__**  
So disconnected, you got me hangin' by a thread  
So disconnected, when will this cycle end?  
It's too hard to just move on  
It's easier said then done**_

_"Farraige!"_

_Giggles, barely stifled._

_"Farraige. I know you're there; I can hear you."_

_The girl froze, turning to her partner in crime with wide, frantic eyes. He smiled mysteriously, taking her hand and gently pulling her away, stepping quickly and lightly. She followed his steps exactly, not wanting to be caught. She wasn't, however, nearly as good as he, at least not in stealth; her step faltered and snapped a twig. They stopped momentarily in surprise before quickly moving on._

_No, no, _no, _they couldn't get caught _now! _They'd come so far, done so much—_

_A larger, slender hand closed firmly on hers. Startled, she whipped around to face the intruder of her personal space—blue eyes, blue locks._

_"Gotcha," came the young woman's voice, softly, teasingly._

_**x x x x**_

_They ran._

Tch, cowards,_ she thought. Really, now, they were Chasers! They didn't go through all that leadership training for nothing! It certainly wasn't to teach them to run._

_"H-Have you named it?" Farraige asked as she struggled to hold it off. Dark blue eyes glared into her own, the defiance within them speaking volumes, but not quite giving her the answer she wanted._

_"Faded Mirage," she answered finally, honey blonde hair waving in the breeze._

_"Faded Mirage?" A nod. "Hmm… Did you make it?" The glare suddenly intensified._

_"But I can't do that—you said it yourself," she spat._

_"Then who _did_ make it?" Farraige asked patiently._

_"Who do you think?" she snapped, throwing Crux of Hope off of her blade and spinning on her heel. As she walked away, Faded Mirage disappeared in a flash of white._

_**x x x x**_

_Together, they ran._

_Farraige laughed heartily—she'd told him they'd be friends. She watched as they fought playfully, brimming with mirth and bliss._

_Farraige was never wrong._

_She ran after them until all three could run no more and collapsed on a flat, dusty rock, staring up into the sky. They laughed and pointed out shapes in the clouds: a puppy here, a hat there, a cute little mouse waaay over there—_

it won't be like this forever

_—a heart overhead…_

_She froze. She was wrong,_

it'll never last

_she had to be._

_Farraige was never wrong._

_**x x x x**_

_"So who made it for you? Or did you steal it?" Those words bit deep, she could tell. He winced at her side._

_"You can't steal—"_

_"Anything can happen." A cold, defiant stare oozed from those dark blue eyes. "So? Who made it? And tell the truth this time."_

_"I _was!" _The echo took forever to fade—the stern crack of skin on skin was loud, indeed._

_"You stole it, didn't you?" She mumbled a reply. "What was that?"_

_"Ven made it!" she shrieked, summoning Faded Mirage in her fury. Farraige rushed to hold her back, calm her down, but he stopped her. She rounded on him._

_"What—" She stopped, noticing his expression. "Ven…" she whispered._

_"And just _how _does a failure like _you _know a prodigy like _him?" _the teacher scoffed, stubbornly refusing to yield._

_**x x x x**_

_A sigh._

"You _three are our soldiers. The Chasers only provide you with what you need, nothing more. The only reason they're taught to fight is to find others like you. We _need _you to do this for us." Dull brown eyes turned to face the duo. "Why doesn't she want to help?"_

_"She doesn't want to face responsibility," Talamh said solemnly, blue eyes gleaming sadly. The elder looked at him in surprise; the boy had finally spoken for the first time._

_"Breacadh hasn't been the same since she heard about them," she added. "None of us have."_

_"She doesn't think she'd do any good—everyone knows how low her confidence level is." He paused, locking his eyes on the instructor's. "She firmly believes she'd fail, just like they did." He was worried; they all were. Talamh averted his gaze, instead looking out the window in the direction she'd fled. "She thinks it's pointless to try."_

_**x x x x**_

_Together, they ran._

_They had to find her; they had to make sure she was okay._

_As luck would have it, she was there. Her honey blonde hair blew in her face as she stood on top of the flat, dusty rock, staring out into the distance with tears threatening to escape the threshold of her azure eyes. They slowed, looking up at her worriedly. _

_Farraige took a step forward, lips beginning to form her name until he stopped her. Reluctantly, she stood back as he took the initiative, closing the distance between them and barely touching a finger to her shoulder before getting a reaction._

_"Get away!" she shrieked, snatching his wrist and immediately tossing it back at him. "Get away!"_

_"Brea—" he began._

_"Stop being selfish, Breac!" Farraige shouted defiantly. "We _all_ have to deal with it, not just you!"_

_The children stood for a while, the elder two staring at her back._

_"At least… you didn't see it," Talamh said finally, breaking the prolonged silence. "_She _did."_

_"But I _did _see it!" she protested. "I _did! _He's gone, and he's never coming back!"_

_"But he's not—"_

_"You said he froze, Farri! You saw it; we _both _did! He froze! No one lives after being froze!" Tears finally breaking free, Breacadh took off once more, running far away from her fellow students. _

_A silent laugh rang through Farraige's mind._

i told you it would never last

_Her hands flew to her head, failing to quiet the noise inside._

shut up shut up shut up

_Just once, she wanted to be wrong. The laugh echoed once more as the voice took on a mocking sing-song tone._

you can't make me

_Farraige was never wrong._

_**x x x x**_

_"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you—" the headmaster paused for dramatic effect, "—the Chasers of tomorrow!"_

_Fire suddenly blasted into existence—the emerald curtains hiding the performers of the graduating class burned, bottom to top, until there was nothing left. One girl appeared on each side of the stage, amazing the crowds with their elaborate costumes: they both wore sheer blue fabrics as their dresses with the bottoms cut ragged, metallic blue cords at their waists. It was impossible to tell if there were sleeves—indeed, their skin was painted a deep metallic blue and their wavy hair given the same treatment. At their wrists were wisps of the sheer blue that covered the hands, further disguising any possible sleeves. Beaded chains of white orbs twisted their way around the girls' bodies as if they were trying to mold together; a single white teardrop decorated their foreheads. Bright, sapphire eyes were open wide so the spectators could see the whites, but dismissed it as the pearly beads, so perfect were the colors. Their faces tilted up as they watched the flames crackle, mouths open slightly to take in the air. They wore no shoes to protect against the smoldering ashes; they needed none. They were the Ladies of Ice and Water—they weren't afraid of the fire. The fire was afraid of _them. _They both released a feral yell as they spun and stopped again, throwing powerful Water spells skyward. The flames vanished, recognizing and fleeing before their power._

_Reflect lit the stage further as the girls disappeared, just as quickly as they'd come. The spell faded to reveal a group of young men clad in red stomping down the center, two on either side trailing after the one in the middle, a simple golden circlet decorating his forehead. The monarch brusquely flung out his right arm, forcing those on that side to stumble away and turn back viciously to face him. The maneuver was repeated for his left, with the same results. The traitors on either side rushed to attack, halting in their efforts as lighting surrounded their target. Four more girls ran out, two from each end, to challenge the two men opposite them. The battles began with Thunder and Fire spells being thrown, the lone man watching and dodging when necessary._

_A grand bolt struck out, hitting naught but his Reflect. The fighting ceased as the woman herself strutted down the golden center steps with sunny hair flowing behind her, smirking in her confidence and anticipation. She was dressed as her subjects—save the feathered eye-mask she wore as her crown. A long saffron dress covered her tall frame with a slit down the side to show off her slender legs, complete with heeled shoes to match the silken garment. Golden eyes gleamed at the man as she finally reached the area's innermost point and extended a gloved hand to him, sinister smile widening so. Her malevolent laugh rand out when he recoiled in distaste and she turned to leave, but suddenly spun back around to shoot a bolt straight at his chest._

_He barely managed to evade her attack, and the battle ensued between the monarchs as their underlings fled. The ones of legend fought fiercely, each knowing they could not afford a loss._

_A blast of wind threw the man off his feet; the Bird of Thunder merely turned to face the culprit as he stepped out of hiding. White hair, gray eyes—once her friend, now her enemy. She turned back to the Monarch of Fire as he got to his feet and looked again to the intruder as she shot a powerful bolt his way. His wispy, silvery clothes were merely grazed as he disappeared with another blast of air._

_As the woman turned, a Fire spell came flying toward her. But before it reached her, another gust fully extinguished its flames. Her smirk resurfaced and her laugh echoed once more and she threw yet another Thunder at him, the blow landing square on his chest and leaving a dark, singed mark on his crimson attire. He struggled to rise from the heap in which he'd landed, red sparks crackling at his fingertips. The Bird of Thunder laughed again as she mounted the stairs, looking back with a triumphant smile before turning to leave with one last bolt of Thunder._

_The Ladies of Ice and Water danced their way onstage, meeting each other with a dramatic clasping of hands and an ornamental fluttering of eyes. They separated to reach their opposite locations, eyes again wide open. They cared not for the Monarch, lying defeated on the ground; they summoned an enormous amount of water and threw it in the air where the curtains once hung, freezing it all into an opaque barrier with a well-timed Blizzard._

_The crowd roared with approval until the headmaster calmed them by saying, "What a grand performance by our most elite students! Perhaps it was the best yet—there have never been _two_ Key Bearers in one class before! Give it up for the fierce Monarch of Fire and the elegant Bird of Thunder—salutatorian and valedictorian—Talamh and Farraige!"_

_**x x x x**_

_The young girl cringed in her sleep, the nightmare encasing her small body in chills. Her blue eyes were squeezed tightly shut as she released another groan. She tossed more and more until finally, she opened her mouth and screamed._

_On the other end of the home, a pair of eyes snapped open, revealing the cobalt irises beneath the lids. A mother sprang from her recumbent state, struggling to quickly untangle herself from the sheets. She sprinted down the hall toward her daughter's room, throwing the door open when she finally reached it._

_She sighed in relief; there weren't any intruders. But look—she was trembling._

_The woman didn't notice the cooing sound she instinctively began to make as she gently wrapped her arms about the girl in an attempt to soothe her. Tears leaked from the tightly squeezed eyes._

_"Shh, shh. It'll be okay," she said softly._

_"No, it won't!" she shrieked, violently pulling away from her mother. "It _won't_ be okay! Something happened to Auntie Aqua! Something bad!"_

_She froze; her heart skipped a beat. She knew of her daughter's power._

_Farraige was never wrong._

* * *


	8. The Pursuit

**This is it.**

**Lyrics belong to Evans Blue.

* * *

**'_**Cuz they're still in you too low**_

_**All the voices you don't know**_

_**And they're still in you too low**_

_**All the choices that you chose**_

_**(Make the voices tell me who you are and who I am to be)**_

The blue eyes seemed to glow as they slowly opened, silently taking in the surrounding area. White was everywhere, she noted, rising to a sitting position.

Two men paused in their conversation across the room and began to approach. A sudden chill possessed her as her eyes landed on those golden orbs of the hooded one. The red-head

_axel_

walked beside him, emotionless. They came to a stop at the foot of the bed. The two stared each other down for the longest time, neither speaking a word. She had a bad feeling

_it's him_

about this man.

"How are you feeling?" he asked finally.

"I'm alright," she answered, tone guarded.

"And you remember?" He received no reply; he already knew the answer. It was definitely her. "So, then. Would you care to help us reach our goal?" A furious glare darkened her eyes.

"I'm sure I don't have a choice, do I?" she snapped.

"You make it sound so… unpleasant," he replied smoothly.

"What _is_ your goal?" she asked impatiently. He chuckled.

"Kingdom Hearts," he said simply, turning away. "Axel. We must leave." Obediently, the Nobody made a portal and they both disappeared.

_**x x x x**_

They were gone for hours.

She had spent most of that time staring in distaste, whether the object of her gaze was the plain white bed, the luminous white walls, or the quasi-sword her pendant could become. She tossed the obsidian stick across the room, watching in annoyance as it clattered noisily to the floor.

For a fleeting moment, she wondered what they were up to. But then, another of those dark portals appeared, distracting her, and a frail blonde girl walked out, raising a hand to wave.

"Hello, Riley," she greeted.

She stared blankly at the girl

_naminé_

in confusion, finally saying, "That's not my name." A few seconds passed in silence. "What do you want?"

A genial smile adorned her lips and she offered her hand to the blue-haired girl. "Let's get you out of here, before they come back."

She shook her head. "Why should I trust you? You're obviously one of them." The blonde was flabbergasted. "I'm not going into any of those… things." She nodded toward the portal.

"But they'll be back soon! Please hurry!"

She shook her head again. "I'm not going."

With a nervous glance around the room, the girl left, however reluctantly. No sooner had the last wisps of her portal disappeared than more snaked their way into existence. The darkness faded to reveal the hooded man. She watched him warily.

"Come with me," he said simply, turning to walk toward the far end of the room.

"Why?" she called after him.

"There is something I think you would like to see." He laid a dark hand on the white wall and a bright glare showed an outline of a door. She stared at it in surprise.

"I didn't know there was a door here!" she exclaimed as she approached. He made no reply, instead walking on as a pair of Dusks appeared behind her to hurry her along in his wake.

She tried to turn back when he stepped into another of the mysterious portals, struggling as the lesser Nobodies tried to push her through. They succeeded and she emerged on the other side, gasping for air until they pulled her to her feet and forced her onward. Finally, the man stopped, waiting for his minions to disappear. They did so obediently and the two proceeded into the nearby room.

She froze when her eyes landed on what he'd brought her here to see. Her breath caught in her throat. No words stood to be formed; only faint, strangled noises passed her lips. Her mind whirred frantically, rendered unable to properly function. Finally, her knees weakened and buckled beneath her weight. She fell to the floor in a heap.

The man stood at the room's entrance, looking on silently, emotionlessly. He'd known the sight would evoke a reaction, but he'd never thought it would be so powerful. All he knew was that it was enough to cement her loyalty and willingness to assist him.

That was all he needed to know.

A noise behind him—he turned to face the intruder.

"Uh, Xigbar told me to come here," the boy explained. "Oh… Riley. Are… you okay?" She acted as if she hadn't heard him; in fact, she had not. "Riley…" He paused, noticing what had caught her attention. "What's—"

"You _know_ what!" she yelled suddenly.

"I do?"

"How _dare_ you lie to me?!" she demanded, leaping to her feet and rounding on him. "How _dare_ you tell me you're someone you're not?! Me, who couldn't remember, couldn't tell the difference! How _dare_ you?!"

"What—I didn't lie!" he protested. "I'm Roxas, just like I said!"

_"Liar! _How can you not even _recognize _that?!"

"There's nothing for me to recognize! Look, I don't know who you think I am, but—"

"_LIAR!!" _she shrieked. "That's _not_ your name; you _aren't _Roxas! You're—"

* * *

**It is done.**

**Yeah, I realize that it's a bit of a cliffhanger. But know this: I have at least two more stories to go in this little series. Also, I've decided to do something that may or may not please some of you readers, while others (most, probably) will probably miss the reference completely. Just wait. It'll show.**

**Anyway. I've started on the next fic and I hate the name; it's terribly unimaginative. I figure I'll drop an author's note here when I get it posted. Be patient if you want to read it - the author is lazy and swamped with work as is.**

**Really, though, I'll try to get it finished and posted as soon as I can. I just... haven't the slightest idea when that may be.**


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